Achalasia Center - Lombard, IL
Lombard Gastroenterologist Doctors for AchalasiaType of Physician: Gastroenterologist What is a Gastroenterologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated. Specialty: Gastroenterology Common Name: GI Doctor Gastroenterologist Doctors in Lombard * Mohamad Z Sait MD Ltd  Dyer GI Clinics of Illinois  Midwest GI Associates  Digestive Health Services SC  Digestive Health Services SC  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  MidWest Digestive Disease Specialists  Digestive Health Services SC  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Gerard A Sublette MD & Christopher Boutin MD  Joseph Lagattuta MD  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Elmhurst Clinic Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Services Ltd  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Northwest Gastroenterologists  Gastroenterology Group  Gloria J Caruso MD PC  Gastroenterology Group  Gastroenterology Group  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  K Krishnankutty MD  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Gastrointestinal Health Specialists LLC  Sinha Chunduri MD  Manuel C Iglesias MD  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  DuPage Medical Group Gastroenterology  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Loyola University Medical Center  Advocate Medical Group Arlington Heights  Mark E Dubin MD  Naperville Gastroenterology  Suburban Gastroenterology Ltd  Suburban Gastroenterology Ltd  Suburban Gastroenterology Ltd  Therapeutic Endoscopy Associates PC  Therapeutic Endoscopy Associates PC  BHS Digestive Disease  BHS Digestive Disease  Fahey Medical Center  Drs Bernthal, Klygis, Lohmann & Andersen MD  Drs Bernthal, Klygis, Lohmann & Andersen MD  Allen J Rosenbaum MD  Northwest Healthcare  Manuel Alva MD  Northwest Healthcare  Northwest Healthcare  George Zahrebelski MD  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  North Suburban Gastroenterology Assoc  Paul Fahrenbach & Arun Ohri MDs  Paul Fahrenbach & Arun Ohri MDs  Lake Shore Gastroenterology  Lake Shore Gastroenterology  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Gastrenterology & Liver Disease Associates  Drs Kane, Misawa & Spiess LLC  Ashok Jilhewar MD  Eduardo Villa MD  Riverside Medical  Thomas G Neumann MD  John M Wieland MD  Evanston Hospital Gastroenterology  Evanston Hospital Gastroenterology  Evanston Hospital Gastroenterology  Midwest Center for Digestive Health  Southwest Gastroenterology Lombard, IllinoisUpcoming Local Events2012-06-03
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AchalasiaWhat is achalasia?Achalasia is a rare disease of the muscle of the esophagus (swallowing tube). The term achalasia means "failure to relax" and refers to the inability of the lower esophageal sphincter (a ring of muscle situated between the lower esophagus and the stomach) to open and let food pass into the stomach. As a result, patients with achalasia have difficulty in swallowing food.
How does the normal esophagus function?The esophagus has three functional parts. The uppermost part is the upper esophageal sphincter, a specialized ring of muscle that forms the upper end of the tubular esophagus and separates the esophagus from the throat. The upper sphincter remains closed most of the time to prevent food in the main part of the esophagus from backing up into the throat. The main part of the esophagus is referred to as the body of the esophagus, a long, muscular tube approximately 20 cm (8 in) in length. The third functional part of the esophagus is the lower esophageal sphincter, a ring of specialized esophageal muscle at the junction of the esophagus with the stomach. Like the upper sphincter, the lower sphincter remains closed most of the time to prevent food and acid from backing up into the body of the esophagus from the stomach. The upper sphincter relaxes with swallowing to allow food and saliva to pass from the throat into the esophageal body. The muscle in the upper esophagus just below the upper sphincter then contracts, squeezing food and saliva further down into the esophageal body. The ring-like contraction of the muscle progresses down the body of the esophagus, propelling the food and saliva towards the stomach. (The progression of the muscular contraction through the esophageal body is referred to as a peristaltic wave.). By the time the peristaltic wave reaches the lower sphincter, the sphincter has opened, and the food passes into the stoma... Recommended Reading Related to AchalasiaWhat is dysphagia?Dysphagia is the medical term for the symptom of difficulty swallowing, derived from the Latin and Greek words meaning difficulty eating. Mechanism of swallowing Swallowing is a complex action.
Other Related Achalasia ArticlesEmergency Contact for Lombard
Nearby Lombard Hospitals *Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Adventist GlenOaks Hospital Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital RML Specialty Hospital Adventist Hinsdale Hospital Kindred Hospital Northlake Central DuPage Hospital Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital Resurrection Health Care Westlake Hospital Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Loyola University Medical Center Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital Alexian Brothers Medical Center Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital John J Madden Mental Health Center Riveredge Hospital Edward Hospital Linden Oaks Hospital at Edward RUSH Oak Park Hospital MacNeal Hospital Shriners Hospital for Children Chicago Resurrection Health Care West Suburban Medical Center Streamwood Behavioral Health Center Hartgrove Hospital Chicago-Read Mental Health Center Loretto Hospital Resurrection Health Care Resurrection Medical Center Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital Resurrection Health Care Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center Northwest Community Hospital Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital Advocate Lutheran General Hospital St Alexius Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Holy Family Medical Center Advocate Christ Medical Center & Hope Children's Hospital Advocate Bethany Hospital Kindred Hospital Chicago Central Sacred Heart Hospital Saint Anthony Hospital Norwegian-American Hospital Rush-Copley Medical Center Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital Delnor-Community Hospital Palos Community Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Elizabeth Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center Jesse Brown VA Medical Center Provena Mercy Medical Center John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County Glenbrook Hospital Johnston R Bowman Health Center Kindred Hospital Chicago North Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center University of Illinois Medical Center Rush University Medical Center Swedish Covenant Hospital Holy Cross Hospital Elgin Mental Health Center CINN Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Methodist Hospital of Chicago Sherman Hospital Children's Memorial Hospital RUSH North Shore Medical Center Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Lincoln Park Hospital Little Company of Mary Hospital & Health Care Centers Thorek Memorial Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Joseph Hospital Weiss Memorial Hospital Chicago Lakeshore Hospital Provena Saint Joseph Hospital Mercy Hospital & Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Saint Francis Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Achalasia by Our Doctors
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Esophageal Cancer
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Vitiligo
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Eosinophilic Esophagitis
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Dysphagia
- Dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing, swallowing problems. Dysphagia is due to problems in nerve or muscle control. It is common, for example, after a stroke. Dysphagia compromises nutrition and hydration and may lead to aspiration pneumonia and dehydration.
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Esophagitis
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The Digestive System
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